One of the many extraordinary things about the ancient Greeks is that their deepest thinkers – Aristotle, Plato, Sophocles and others – gave us words that almost 3000 years later help explain our modern world. After years working and living in the US, by September 11, 2001, I was back in London. When the 9/11 attacks took place I was walking in the late summer sunshine, preparing to go to my job presenting BBC news that evening.
My mobile phone buzzed. I was called in early to begin presenting rolling TV news programmes for Britain and around the world. Those few hours were so much of a shock that much of the broadcasts remain a blur in my mind, as we tried to make sense of the almost incomprehensible hijacking of four planes by men who murdered some 3000 innocent people, and killed themselves in the process.
After the TV make-up was wiped off my face, I drove home and stood in a hot shower, trying to make sense of this new world disorder. The US had been home to me for many years. Friends lived in New York, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington. I couldn’t sleep. In the middle of the night, three of those ancient Greek words started to form part of an explanation. We will get to the third word later, but the first two words were “hubris”, usually translated nowadays as “pride”, and second, “nemesis”, which can mean “punishment” for pride, or “revenge”. In Washington, hubris had been obvious throughout the 1990s.
The Cold War was over. America won. Years of sacrifice meant thankless wars in Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere, the face-off known as the Cuban missile crisis and the hugely expensive commitment of US troops in Europe. But by the 1990s, Americans watched in amazement as their long-time enemy, the Soviet Union, fell apart. President George H W Bush spoke of a “New World Order” and a “unipolar world,” where the US was the “only superpower”.
Mr Biden sees the US retreat from Afghanistan as a kind of cleansing
Some American intellectuals – unwisely – spoke of “the end of history”. Hubris? Definitely. But America triumphed almost everywhere in almost everything, from economic and military might to cultural and sporting success and turn-of-the-millennium innovations that changed our world – Apple, Google, Microsoft, PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, and all the rest. But after hubris, in ancient Greek tragedy, comes nemesis, punishment. Islamic fundamentalists living in caves in Afghanistan in pursuit of an ideology that violently rejected the dominant American culture, attacked America’s centres of political and economic power – Washington and New York. They did so with two weapons so primitive we have known them from the start of human history. Their weapons were knives and cunning.
When I have talked with security experts about the 9/11 attacks – box cutter knives and pepper spray used to hijack planes to turn them into weapons – those experts have often reflected on the fact that Osama bin Laden’s strategy depended on luck. The hijackers managed to take over four planes almost simultaneously, forcing three of them to attack high-value targets, symbols of America’s financial and military might, the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.
For years I had witnessed and reported on different kinds of terror, in Ireland, Latin America and home-grown American terror too, including the destruction of the Oklahoma federal building by the white supremacist Timothy McVeigh. When an Irish terrorist group, the IRA, came close to murdering British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, they issued a statement that sums up what security experts call “asymmetric warfare” between terrorist groups and governments. The IRA statement said: “Today we were unlucky, but remember we only have to be lucky once. You will have to be lucky always.” On 9/11 bin Laden’s hijackers proved that point. America’s luck ran out. A generation of Americans felt vulnerable to attack at home in a manner that no one had experienced since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941.
And, like Pearl Harbour, 9/11 changed the world. Commercial air travel ceased. When transatlantic flights started up again – under the intrusive security measures that we now take for granted – I flew to Washington to report on the aftermath of 9/11. The hubris of all those deep thinkers from the 1990s, the idea that liberal democracy was inevitably going to take over the world, was duly buried along with the innocent victims of the attacks. What lived was a ferocious desire to strike back. That, as we all know, led to the invasion of Afghanistan the assassination of bin Laden, and the invasion of Iraq. But what also emerged, in this newly vulnerable superpower, was a twisted kind of logic.
American politicians asserted, without any evidence, that Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein, was complicit in 9/11. That ludicrous assertion combined with claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction were used as justification for the US-led invasion. And that brings us to the third word from Greek tragedy, “catharsis.” It means a sense of cleansing, eliminating horrific events and hoping that something good will emerge from all the suffering we have experienced.
Well, we can hope. We certainly have suffered. Mr Biden, in robust statements justifying the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, made clear that he sees withdrawal as a kind of cleansing. As Biden put it: “This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It’s about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.” Twenty years on from 9/11, with Donald Trump still complaining about a supposedly stolen election, with deep divisions in the US over poverty, race, abortion, coronavirus vaccinations and other social questions, plus wildfires and floods attributed to global warming, an American catharsis, a cleansing, may still seem necessary. But it is also elusive. Perhaps Mr Biden can provide it. He could rewrite Donald Trump’s old slogan, by noting that re-making his own country after 20 years of impossible conflicts must begin at home. To avoid hubris, Mr Biden must not only put America First, he has to Fix America First.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The view from The National
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
